MAY 13.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1763

NORTH SEA.

Caution with regard to Mined Areas.

Former Notice.—No. 1706 of 1914; hereby cancelled.

Caution.—Mariners are again warned that a system of mine-fields has been established by H.M. Government upon a considerable scale.

All vessels are strongly advised to obtain a London Trinity House pilot when navigating between Great Yarmouth and the English channel.

It is dangerous for ships to cross the area between the parallels of 51° 15′ and 51° 40′ north latitude and the meridians of 1° 35′ and 3° 00′ east longitude.

The southern limit of the area in the North Sea which has been rendered dangerous by the enemy’s mines is now, so far as is known at present, the parallel of 51° 54′ north latitude.

Remarks.—Although these limits are assigned to the danger areas, it must not be supposed that navigation is necessarily safe in any part of the southern waters of the North Sea.

Authority.—The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

By Command of their Lordships,

J. F. PARRY,
Hydrographic Department, Hydrographer.
Admiralty, London, 3rd March, 1915.

UNITED KINGDOM.

Pilotage Stations established at certain Ports on account of Defensive Mine-fields.

Former Notice.—No. 16 of 1915; hereby cancelled.

With reference to the extension of the system of mine defence, notice is hereby given that pilotage is now compulsory at the following ports for all vessels (including fishing-vessels) which have a draught of over eight feet, and that it is highly dangerous for any vessel to enter or leave such ports without a pilot. Fishing and other small vessels having a draught of over eight feet are to assemble at the pilotage stations, and will be conducted into and out of port in groups.

(1.) FIRTH OF FORTH.—All incoming vessels are only permitted to enter the Firth of Forth during daylight hours; they are to pass between the Isle of May and Anstruther Wester, thence they must steer a direct course for Kinghorn Ness. On approaching Inchkeith the pilot-vessel in the north channel is to be closed, and a pilot embarked.

Vessels are warned that they should on no account pass to the southward of a line joining the north point of the Isle of May and Kinghorn Ness until in the longitude of 3° W., when course may be shaped for the centre of north channel.

Outward bound vessels should steer to pass the longitude of 3° W. in latitude 56° 6′ 30″ N., then shape course to pass between Anstruther Wester and the Isle of May.

The above orders apply to vessels proceeding to any port in the Firth of Forth, whether to the eastward of Inchkeith or not.

(2.) MORAY FIRTH.—All vessels bound to Cromarty or Inverness must call for a pilot at Wick or Burghhead.

Outgoing vessels are to discharge their pilots at one or the other of these places.

It is dangerous for any vessel to be under way to the south-westward of a line joining Findhorn and Tarbetness without a pilot.

(3.) SCAPA FLOW.—All entrances are dangerous.

Examination services have been established in the entrances to Hoxa and Hoy Sounds. Vessels wishing to enter must communicate with the examination-vessel and follow the instructions received from her very carefully.

The only vessels permitted to enter Hoy Sound from the westward are those bound for Stromness. Vessels cannot enter Scapa Flow from Stromness.

Authority.—The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

By Command of their Lordships,

J. F. PARRY,
Hydrographic Department, Hydrographer.
Admiralty, London, 4th March, 1915.

NORTH SEA, RIVER THAMES, AND ENGLISH CHANNEL.

Information with regard to Lights, Light-vessels, and Pilotage.

Former Notice.—No. 1823 of 1914; hereby cancelled.

I. A light-vessel, with “ No. 9 ” painted on the sides and showing a gp. fl. (4) white light, is moored off Beachy Head in latitude 50° 39′ 25″ north, longitude 0° 9′ 20″ east. This vessel will be withdrawn as soon as possible without further notice.

With the above exception, the main coast lights and fog-signals on the English coast between Selsea Bill and Deal are now in the same condition as they were previous to the outbreak of the war.

II. The following orders as to compulsory pilotage between the Downs and Great Yarmouth made under the Defence of the Realm (Consolidation) Regulations, 1914, will come into operation at 6 a.m. on the 10th March, 1915.

1. All ships (other than British ships of less than 500 tons gross tonnage, when trading coastwise and not carrying passengers) whilst bound from and whilst navigating in the waters from the Downs Pilot-station to Gravesend, or vice versa, must be conducted by pilots licensed by the London Trinity House.

2. All ships (other than British ships of less than 500 tons gross tonnage, when trading coastwise and not carrying passengers) whilst bound from, and whilst navigating in the waters from the Downs Pilot-station to Great Yarmouth, or vice versa, must be conducted by pilots licensed by the London Trinity House.

3. All ships (other than British ships of less than 3,500 tons gross tonnage, when trading coastwise and when not carrying passengers) whilst bound from and whilst navigating in the waters from Gravesend to Great Yarmouth, or vice versa, must be conducted by pilots licensed by the London Trinity House.

4. All ships (other than British ships of less than 3,500 tons gross tonnage, when trading coastwise and when not carrying passengers) whilst navigating in the waters from Gravesend to London Bridge, or vice versa, must be conducted by pilots licensed by the London Trinity House.

5. The Trinity House Pilot-station at Dungeness having been discontinued, pilotage is therefore not compulsory between the Downs Pilot-station and Dungeness, except for ships bound into or out of the Harbours of Dover and Folkestone.

III. By 6 a.m. on the 10th March, 1915, Trinity House Pilot-stations will be established at the undermentioned places, and merchant vessels not under compulsion of pilotage are very strongly advised to take pilots:—

(a.) THE DOWNS, where ships proceeding north can obtain pilots capable of piloting as far as Great Yarmouth; and also pilots for the River Thames, and for Folkestone and Dover Harbours. The pilot-steamers attached to the Downs Station will cruise in the vicinity of a position two miles south-east of Deal Pier.

(b.) GREAT YARMOUTH, where ships from the North Sea bound for the River Thames or the English Channel can obtain pilots capable of piloting as far as the Downs.

The pilot-steamer attached to the Great Yarmouth Station will cruise between the Corton Light-vessel and the South Scroby Buoy.

(c.) THE SUNK LIGHT-VESSEL, where ships crossing the North Sea between the parallels of 51° 40′ and 51° 54′ North Latitude, but no others, can obtain pilots for the River Thames and the Downs.

(d.) Pilots can also be obtained at LONDON and HARWICH for the Downs and Great Yarmouth (including the River Thames and approaches).

NOTE.—The pilot-stations at Dover and St. Helens (I.W.) will be discontinued on the same date. The pilots referred to in this notice are the pilots licensed by the London Trinity House, and no others.

IV. RIVER THAMES.—All traffic into and out of the River Thames must pass through the Edinburgh Channels, or through the Black Deep south of the Knock John and Knob Light buoys, and through the Oaze Deep, until further notice.

No vessels are to remain under way in the above-mentioned channels inside the Sunk Head light-buoy, or within a line joining the positions of the South Long Sand and East Shingles buoys, between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

Vessels at anchor within these limits must not exhibit any lights between the hours of 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

All other channels are closed to navigation.

Authority.—The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

By Command of their Lordships,

J. F. PARRY,
Hydrographic Department, Hydrographer.
Admiralty, London, 8th March, 1915.

Notice to Mariners No. 41 of 1915.

BLUFF HARBOUR.—DREDGING OF MIDDLE BANK OFF WHARF.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 6th May, 1915.

THE Bluff Harbour Board have notified that the extreme eastern and southern edges of the middle bank off the Bluff Wharf have been dredged so as to give turning-room for vessels between the wharf and bank of 960 ft. at the east end and 870 ft. at the west end, with a depth of not less than 22 ft. at M.L.W.S., showing an increase by dredging of 270 ft. swinging-room.